Is It True That Human Ears and Nose Keep Growing?

Unlike other parts of the human body, the ears and nose continue to grow for a person's entire life. This is because the nose and ears contain cartilage, which never stops growing.

After a person reaches the age of puberty, his bones stop growing. Likewise, muscles and fat cells stop dividing at this time as well. Not only does the cartilage continue to grow, but due to gravity, a person's earlobes also elongate over time. This is why older people often appear to have larger noses and ears. Plastic surgeons can eliminate the extra cartilage that causes these appendages to be larger.